Fatigue assessment among onshore oil rig shift workers in Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to assess fatigue among onshore oil rig shift workers in a petroleum company working in swing shifts. The work schedule consisted of 12 h of night shifts for one week followed by 12 h of day shifts for one week. Fatigue was assessed using both subjective and objective measurements which were visual analogue fatigue scale (VAFS) and simple reaction time (SRT) test, respectively. A total of 38 male onshore oil rig shift workers participated in this study. Fatigue assessment was conducted at the start and at the end of workdays on nights 1, 4 and 7, and days 1, 4 and 7. The results showed that there were significant differences of VAFS and SRT at the end of workdays, compared with at the start of workdays (p < 0.001). The fatigue level assessed by both SRT and VAFS was highest on the rotating day (p < 0.001). In conclusion, swing shifts might affect fatigue levels in shift workers. The fatigue level increased over the two-week work period. Further studies on fatigue assessment and management among onshore oil rig shift workers are still needed.